Took over banned site - Best way to get back in?

[Compworld]

So I took over this site which was banned by Google Search. It is still in sandbox, but not in site: example.com. Moved to new server and all. Any suggestions on the best way to get the site reindexed into Google as fast as possible?

[tedster]

Set up the Webmaster Tools account and file a reconsideration request, explaining the situation. Among other things, Google will reset the dials to zero and remove any penalties or ban that were affilicting the domain.

However, depending on the reasons behind the ban or penalty, you may need to develop new content from scratch to get the domain rolling again, and certainly you will need fresh backlinks.

[tedster]

It is still in sandbox, but not in site: example.com

Can you clarify this? Do you mean you can see it on the Caffeine test results but not in google.com proper?

[Compworld]

Already submitted a request stating why he was banned and that I bought the site and taken off his SEO gimmacks. In results, it comes up as site: example.com example, not site: example.com.

[tedster]

Just checking - no space between the colon and the domain name, correct?

[Compworld]

With space.

[tedster]

When you use a space, you are not discovering whether any urls from your site are indexed. Instead you are doing a normal keyword search on the words "site", "example", and "com". So you need there to be no space between the colon and the domain name.

Do you see any results that way? If you do, then the site isn't banned.

[Compworld]

Nope. Blank. Also, the site was banned from Adsense too. Would it be too soon to reapply for Adsense since its now on my server and the original owner no longer controls the site?

[SteveWh]

You would certainly need to remove everything that was responsible for the ban in the first place.

Then study the Google Quality Guidelines at [google.com...] and bring the site into complete compliance, with no gray areas.

A ban is evidence of serious infractions; you can't blame Google if they are skeptical. Make it obvious with your actions that you are reforming the site's practices.

[Compworld]

no doubt. I removed them all before contacting Google.

[jd01]

Also, the site was banned from Adsense too. Would it be too soon to reapply for Adsense since its now on my server and the original owner no longer controls the site?

This part almost makes me want to say, '301 Redirect It...', then you're working with a 'new site' from the AdSense perspective anyway and you certainly aren't going to hurt your search engine rankings, you might actually be saying 'See, new ownership' a bit more emphatically... I would maybe even consider doing it to a 'not so well ranking, yet established domain', so you have some 'positive history' but don't risk too much, but this is uncharted territory for me, so these are just my initial thoughts.

[Compworld]

Perhaps, but I added it to my webmaster tools, did verification, its now on my server, and a different domain registrar. Google would be able to see, just by that alone plus IP address that it is a different person operating the site now.

[jd01]

I understand, but my thought is an AdSense employee is going to type in the current domain name, see 'banned' and absolutely scrutinize the site now, where as if you changed the domain name they are probably going to type in the new name, take a glance at the site and say, 'Cool!', because you don't have the 'banned' stigma to deal with... That thought's what started me down the 'Redirect Route' anyway.

[Compworld]

Sites been around for years. Plus, I'd rather be upfront with Google in the beginning, than start off with a shill. Never a good way to start business. Hoping, that since it is a new owner they will give the site the benefit of the doubt.

[leadegroot]

I believe that a site banned in Adsense is banned forever, despite change of owner. Its one of the disincentives.
They may have updated that over time, of course, but thats the folk lore.

[Compworld]

I was checking over my logs for yesterday and it seems Googlebot is visiting again. Could it be that the site may be on the way back to being included into the index?

[anallawalla]

No, a Googlebot visit per se isn't evidence of a looming reinclusion, but it's a good sign.